Pine Island Eagle

VolumE 47, NumbEr 16

Spirit of ‘45

Veterans from ‘Greatest Generation,’ others honored at annual event

Beacon of Hope receives $500,000 grant from the Florida Disaster Fund

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Gov Ron DeSantis announced on Aug 11 that $6 9 million will be awarded through the Florida Disaster Fund to support recovery from Hurricane Ian The Beacon of Hope on Pine Island, which began as a direct response to the long-term recovery after Hurricane Charley (2005), has been awarded $500,000 to continue work in supporting Pine Island

While the executive board of the Beacon of Hope on Pine Island is still waiting to determine the exact guide-

l i n e s t o a p p r o p r i a t e f u n d s received for the organization, board member Elsie Stearns said it was an honor to be chosen.

“It’s confirmation that the Beacon has worked hard to build a reputation for placing funds where they are needed,” Stearns said

The organization is constantly evolving to work with partners such as Samaritan Health and Wellness and the United Way, to bring in new programs which will meet

Advanced Life Support coming to islands

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District Chief Ben Mickuleit said the idea of Advanced Life Support capabilities on Pine Island began around 2019, when the department started sending students to school for paramedics to initiate the process A financial plan had to be enacted as the education, equipment and proper licensing would increase the department’s budget

“We’re finally at a stage where we received our Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity That is the final step in order to get a state license, and we just received county approval for our department to have Advanced Life Support,” Mickuleit said Advanced Life Support is having the same capability as an ambulance, with the exception of transporting patients, he explained The ability to carry the same medications, and the same equipment, with the ability to perform the same assessments and procedures on site in the field

The reason obtaining ALS was so vital to Mickuleit,

he said, is that all fire stations on the island are strategically located to allow for record response time

“

T h e c o m m u n i t y i s e s s e n t i a l l y g e t t i n g q u i c k e r Advanced Life Support treatment, by the fire department That can be crucial, as many times seconds count in an emergency not only in cardiac arrest but in diagnosis If our crew has determined it’s a heart attack, our crew can start the ALS care with medication or whatever else needs to be done and we can launch a helicopter if needed and contact the hospital with an EKG, preparing the physicians ahead of time It’s all about time management and time savings,” Mickuleit said

Mickuleit said he would like to recognize the support of the Pine Island Board of Fire Commissioners,

community needs This decision confirms what the Beacon stands for, Stearns said, adding that the next step may be putting together a task force, although it’s too soon to say exactly

“Our board, our staff and volunteers have always believed that we’re there to support the island to give the island what it needs on many different levels and in many different aspects,” Stearns said

Many of the Beacon board members and staff were

See BEACON GRANT, page 11

GPIA talks about island’s long-term recovery with Greater Pine Island Chamber

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

The Greater Pine Island Alliance met with the Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce last week at Salty Girls Island Café to give a presentation on its role in the island’s long-term recovery from Hurricane Ian

GPIA founder and co-chair Aaron Barreda began the meeting by explaining the intention and origin of the group as a central island hub in an attempt not to duplicate efforts put forth by both islanders and island organizations

“We all have a lot that we can do for each other and we have areas that we specialize in, and by creating a cooperative body, that reduces the duplication of effort and it creates more efficiency,” Barreda said

It was recommended early on that a long-term recovery group needed to be established, and by December 2022, the GPIA was recognized by the state and attorney general as such By Jan 16, 2023, the GPIA received its federal EIN designation as an official non-profit organization

Barreda credits both Lee County Commissioner Kevin Ruane as well as Florida Sen Marco Rubio for being instrumental in the official formation of the organization Barreda sees the mission of the GPIA to be a coordinating body that brings people and organizations together to help in island long-term recovery, which he said will be at least 5 years, explaining that the GPIA is also here for disaster preparedness

“We’re always looking toward the next event whatever it is but we have to have a goal that focuses on future recovery,” Barreda said

The first goal, he said, is for the GPIA to be the go-to organization for disaster recovery With this in place, there is already a coalition of team and volunteers ready to respond to recovery needs The second goal is to secure financial and material resources necessary for the island The third goal is to procure a network of support of recovery for residents.

The biggest focus at this point is unmet needs, Barreda said These needs have varied from people simply needing rent money to needing mold remediation in their home

See GPIA, page 11

Lee County seeks Ian funding feedback

By CRAIG GARRETT news@breezenewspapers com

Sophia Brubaker wondered aloud if a windfall federal aid package would somehow help her and her friends in Sunshine Village in the Iona McGregor district near Sanibel Island The park had lost 144 of its nearly 200 manufactured homes to Hurricane Ian, many owned by fixed-income retirees living their version of paradise she said

Others at that public forum in North Fort Myers were concerned that the $1 1 billion Community Development Block Grant package would instead assist Florida’s undocumented population

Still others at the North Fort Myers Recreation Center quietly absorbed a presentation by Lee County on disb u r s i n g t h e d i s a s t e r r e l i e f p a c k a g e f r o m t h e U . S . Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, which is directing the cash to those impacted by the mega-storm that still echoes with tens of thousands of people in Lee County nearly a year later

Speculators and others had urged those in Sunshine Village to sell the land on which their homes had stood before Ian, to accept their losses with insurance buffers or to simply move on, Brubaker said, “but we don’t want to do that We’d like some help,” adding that rebuilding a manufactured home in Sunshine Village would run two

or three times the original cost

Lee County soon will dole out more than $1 1 billion in federal aid to those impacted by Hurricane Ian But its staff is first collecting suggestions from locals to include in a detailed commission package on spending to HUD officials A final plan and disbursement dates are yet decided

Thursday’s forum in North Fort Myers brought a dozen or so people to observe a short presentation by Jeannie Sutton, program manager for Lee County’s C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t B l o c k G r a n t - D i s a s t e r Recovery program, the agency compiling facts and figures for county commission approval

Sutton was also soliciting ideas on how to shift $1 1 billion directly back to eligible homeowners, businesses and towns hit hardest by last September’s near Category 5 storm, a gift she termed as “fairly unusual” in the business of government

Housing and public infrastructure were listed as HUD priorities on Thursday. At least 70% of the $1.1 billion grant goes to projects benefiting low-to-moderate income households, for example, which HUD defines at or below 80% of area median income, or roughly $65,000 for a family of four Town leaders from Bonita to Cape Coral have also lobbied for a slice of the disaster funds

How to apply and where the money goes was not yet

decided, Sutton said, who also revisited Lee County’s draft of an action plan on spending disaster funds –developed by a county Recovery Task Force chaired by Commissioner Kevin Ruane The county compiles those suggestions at the town halls or online and forwards them a l o n g s i d e L e e C o u n t y ’ s s p e n d i n g p l a n s b y m i dSeptember

It is “quite a long process,” Sutton said of getting a plan together for federal review and ultimate disbursement

Listening intently and hopefully at Thursday’s hearing, Brubaker wasn’t convinced that in the end moderateincome retirees, losing their investments to Ian with little hope of rebuilding, would get a share of federal disaster assistance

“We’re not saying a healthy portion shouldn’t help the poor,” she said of relief cash, “but what’s left over it’s not going to be a lot of money ”

Lee County’s Hurricane Ian draft action plan is at leeg o v . c o m / r e c o v e r y / c d b g - d r f o r r e v i e w a n d c o m m e n t through Aug 31

Comments can be emailed to recovery@leegov com, mailed to Lee County administration in care of the Office of Strategic Resources, 2115 Second St , Fort Myers,

See IAN FUNDING, page 16

Pine Island Elementary School to hold volunteer training sessions next Wednesday and Thursday

Pine Island Elementary has announced that the school has started and it needs volunteers!

b e h e l d a t P . I . E . Wednesday, Aug 30, at 9 a m , and Thursday, Aug 31,

School officials are hoping anyone who would like to volunteer at the school will be

able to attend one volunteer training session and complete a volunteer application available in the school office.

If you plan to attend a training session, please contact the school at 239-283-0505 by Friday, Aug 25, to reserve your spot Please bring your driver’s license to sign-in at the

school office when entering the campus

P I E staff looks forward to seeing all returning and new volunteers this school year!

You make a difference

Pine Island Elementary is located at 5360 Ridgewood Drive, off Pine Island Road east of The Center, in Bokeelia

OPINIONS

Publisher Raymond M Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers com

Executive Editor Valarie Harring vharring@breezenewspapers com

Editor Paulette LeBlanc pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Advertising Director Laurie Ragle lragle@ breezenewspapers com

Advertising Sales Charlene Russ cruss@breezenewspapers

Design & Layout Chris Strine cstrine@breezenewspapers com Obituaries Debbie Carletti obits@breezenewspapers

For patients like me in the early stage of Alzheimer’s, recent years have brought two major breakthroughs One was medical, with the discovery of the first treatments that can actually slow the progression of the disease rather than just ameliorate its symptoms

The other breakthrough came in July, when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services agreed Medicare would cover one o f t h e t r e a t m e n t s , b r a n d - n a m e L e q e m b i What's disturbing is that this decision did indeed require a breakthrough Had CMS acted within its usual scope of authority, coverage should have been routine

The FDA granted traditional approval to Leqembi in July after having approved it on an accelerated basis in January The trials c o m p l e t e d i n J u n e d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t Leqembi produced clinical benefits as predicted by the accelerated approval data in t h i s c a s e , s l o w i n g c o g n i t i v e d e c l i n e i n patients by 27%

We should now be celebrating the arrival of a treatment that reached about 1,800 people per day between January and July this year before their disease progressed past the point at which Leqembi is indicated

The tragedy is that they didn’t That’s because CMS, departing from all precedent, refused to provide coverage for Leqembi and treatments like it on the strength of the FDA accelerated approval.

That sealed the fate of more than a quarter of a million people Thanks to CMS, they are doomed to experience the disease running its course unimpeded through progressive cogn i t i v e d e c l i n e , d e m e n t i a a n d death.

Leqembi is one of a group of m o n o c l o n a l a n t i b o d y t r e a tments that fight Alzheimer’s by r e d u c i n g t h e b u i l d u p i n t h e b r a i n o f a m y l o i d p l a q u e deposits, which have long been a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e d i s e a s e Another, with which I am personally familiar, is Aduhelm It won FDA accelerated approval in June 2021 and embarked CMS on its course of denying coverage

My diagnosis came after months of feeling that something was wrong with my brain

My mind wasn’t right, but I didn’t know what was happening Hoping for answers, I scheduled an appointment for a cognitive test as part of a clinical trial for Aduhelm I received a diagnosis of early Alzheimer’s and was accepted into the trial

My expectations were low Because it was a blind trial, for 16 months I didn’t know whether I was receiving Aduhelm or a place-

bo As it turned out, I had been receiving the medication After the initial trial ended, I enrolled in an open-label trial extension that allowed me to continue receiving the drug

That made me one of the lucky few. The CMS decision to effectively block access to an F D A - a p p r o v e d d r u g w a s unprecedented

This CMS decision is unfortunately in line with a disturbi n g p a t t e r n M e d i c a r e h a s d e m o n s t r a t e d c o n s i s t e n t b i a s a g a i n s t p e o p l e l i v i n g w i t h A l z h e i m e r ’ s b y r e f u s i n g t o broadly cover the most critical components of basic care

For the first time, we have t r e a t m e n t s t h a t c a n a l t e r t h e c o u r s e o f Alzheimer’s, slowing its progression CMS should no more hesitate to get them to people in the earliest stages of their disease than hesitate to treat a cancer before it spreads

Philip Gutis, a former New York Times reporter who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2016, serves on the board of Voices of Alzheimer’s This piece originally appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Saturday, Aug 26, Women’s Equality Day, commemorates women’s right to vote through ratification of the 19th Amendment Over the last 100-plus years, much progress has been made in the fight for women’s rights and equality, but there remains much to be done Since 1920, the League of Women Voters has worked to create a more inclusive and equal society and to ensure the rights of all voters

Today, the League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and e n s u r e e v e r y o n e i s r e p r e s e n t e d i n o u r democracy We empower voters and defend democracy through advocacy, education and litigation at the local, state and national levels. The League does not endorse or oppose candidates or political parties

Informed citizen participation and voting are at the heart of what we do We are now just over 14 months until the next General Election and, throughout Southwest Florida, the League is committed to providing nonpartisan information about issues in our region

In 2023 and 2024, we will be providing the citizens of Charlotte County, Collier County, Lee County, and Sanibel Island opportunities to participate in sessions that cover issues that impact all of us Here are just some of the topics our Leagues are addressing:

Protection and expansion of voting rights in Florida

Privacy in healthcare decisions and reproductive rights

Clean water rights for our citizens

Resiliency in response to natural disasters

Affordable housing and responsible development

Accountability in funding public education

Your vote is your voice Voting is a fundamental right Prepare yourself to vote in 2024

C o n t a c t y o u r c o u n t y ’ s S u p e r v i s o r o f Elections Office to register to vote or check y o u r r e g i s t r a t i o n s t a t u s : c o n f i r m y o u r address, that your signature is current, that your party designation reflects your intent to vote in Florida’s closed primaries

Update your request for vote by mail if you have not done so in 2023 Florida law now requires that you request a vote-by-mail ballot every election cycle

Watch for local LWV events and participate to educate yourself about your local candidates and issues

Use LWVFL resources for persons with completed sentences to regain their right to vote Returning Citizen - League of Women Voters of Florida (lwvfl org)

Use the League’s nonpartisan information to educate yourself on issues important to you and your community and candidates’

positions on important topics VOTE411 (www Vote411 org) is the League’s “ones t o p - s h o p ” f o r r e g i s t r a t i o n a n d e l e c t i o n information All information is received directly from each candidate, and it includes tools to create a personalized sample ballot to inform your vote.

Be informed and make your voices heard with elected officials and at the ballot box It is up to all of us to defend democracy

More information on League principles, issues, priorities, and resources are available on our websites: LWVUS www lwv org, LWVFlorida www lwvfl org and through l o c a l L e a g u e s i n S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a ( C h a r l o t t e , C o l l i e r , L e e C o u n t y , a n d Sanibel) whose websites are listed below League community educational events and conversations provide additional opportunities to learn about topics that impact all our lives

Jean Finks, President, LWV Charlotte County, www lwvccfl org

D i a n e P r e s t o n M o o r e , P r e s i d e n t , LWV Collier County, www lwvcolliercounty org

Sandy Frank, President, LWV Lee County, www lwvlee org

C a t h i e K o z i k , P r e s i d e n t , L W V Sanibel, https://www.facebook.com/lwvsanibel

Members of ‘Greatest Generation’ honored at Spirit of ‘45 event

On Aug 13, the Lee County Spirit of ‘45 banquet was held at Heritage Palms Golf and Country Club This is the 12th and final year of this event organized by Eryka Aptaker

The community has come together over the past 12 years to honor and remember those of the “Greatest Generation” that served during World War II Each year the group gets smaller and this year the average age of the World War honorees was 98

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States of American have been strong supporters of this event and this year was no different VFW District 13 was well represented with Commander Terry Daughtery, Senior Vice Rich Monroe and Junior Vice John Roberts Four VFW Posts were also represented Leigh Acres Post 4174, North Fort Myers 100127, Cape Coral Post 8463 and Greater Pine Island VFW Post 4353

Lee County Sheriffs Officer presented colors and the

Veterans and guests attending the Spirit of ‘45 event on Aug 13

firing detail Guns and Hoses, Pipe and Drum Corps, played the service anthems and Amazing Grace

Over 20 World War II veterans were present with the oldest being Col Donald Longer at 105 Robert Hilliard, 98, spoke about the liberation of a concentration camp in Austria after the war, making the sacrifices meaningful

Tom Ferguson from VFW Post 4353 presented the POW/MIA table ceremony John Roberts from VFW Post 100127 lead the Flag Folding ceremony with assistance from LCSO Honor Guard

Aptaker was presented with a lifetime appreciation award for her involvement in the Spirit of 45 Event

Every attendee received a commemorative coin which was donated by the family of Medal Of Honor winner Woody Williams, USMC, Iwo Jima

It was an honor to be part of this event and also sobering to realize that the Greatest Generation is quickly shrinking, and we shall never forget them or what they did to ensure that the United States of America became a world power and the leader in the spread of freedom

21st Annual Blessing of the Animals Sept. 30

The 21st Annual Blessing of the Animals will be held Saturday, Sept 30, from 11 a m to 1 p m , under the oaks at St John’s Episcopal Church, 7771 H Stringfellow Road, St James City

Miraculous Medal Catholic Church; the Rev Kaylee Vida, pastor of Pine Island United Methodist Church; and the Rev Tom Hafer, pastor of Fishers of Men Lutheran Church

Eryka Aptaker receives her lifetime appreciation award at the Spirit of ‘45 event

Hosted by the Rev Bill Gilmore, vicar of St John’s Episcopal Church, the blessing will also include the R

All animals welcome -- please remember to bring your owner

More details to follow.

PHOTO PROVIDED

PHOTO PROVIDED

By ROBERT BALLARD Special to The Eagle

Pine Island preserves post Hurricane Ian recovery Guest Commentary

It has been almost a year since Pine Island met Hurricane Ian head on Some residents and businesses have made it back to some degree of normalcy as many others continue rebuilding while others are “still in the water,” so to speak While the piles of hurricane debris that lined our streets are gone, areas in the woods still show evidence of the storm Our Island preserves, those little respites that give us a chance to walk in the natural wonders of our Island, are for the most part, back up and operational

Tyler Marzella, manager of the Conservation 20/20 Preserves on Pine Island, says that the Pine Flatwoods Preserve is in good shape with the trails open Even the native pawpaws survived the flooding The Galt Preserve got hit much harder and while most of the trails are open, the trail around the south end of the pond is closed as the boardwalk was uprooted from the ground and will need to be reconstructed This is part of the county’s overall pier and boardwalk reconstruction plan The damaged pines from the flooding and subsequent Southern Pine Beetle infestation are an issue that the county is struggling with and is seeking a long-term remedy The county has not given any indication when the refuse recovery area at the Flamingo Bay Preserve will be shut down and cleaned up It is still being utilized though on a smaller scale

The Calusa Land Trust’s six popular preserves were cleared and opened to the public by the end of April, after many volunteer hours were spent to get the trails cleared

The Wigert-Barron Preserve and Fritt’s Park in Bokeelia were the first to be cleared In St James, volunteers cleared the trails at the Dobbs Preserve and repositioned the walkways over the wet areas While the St Jude Trail is open for walking, the boardwalk and the deck at the end which overlooks St James Creek must be completely rebuilt and planning and permitting are underway Trees were up-righted and staked or replaced at the Smith-Dewane Vista and debris was picked up and r e m o v e d f r o m t h e m a n g r o v e s a l o n g S t a b i l e R o a

Franzone Road and Cussell Drive

Two CLT preserves incurred a lot more tree damage The Taylor-Willow Lake Preserve took a monumental

Cat of the Week

volunteer effort to clear the trails for passage and while the trails are open, they are not “ideal” yet and will be a priority when the winter Work/Fun Parties resume in October There are still a lot of downed trees throughout the preserve The Ed Chapin Preserve at the end of Royal Okley Lane also incurred a lot of tree damage JMC Landscaping was hired to come in and mulch up the fallen tree debris which was followed by a volunteer work party to clean up the preserve and upright the chickee hut The Preserve is in good shape now

Lee Amos from the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast reports that its Flamingo Bay preserve on Stringfellow Road had about 2 to 3 feet of storm surge over the pasture This killed back the Bahia grass but did not seem to harm the young pines that were planted The

wooded area did not receive much storm damage though the trails had some downed trees blocking the paths Amos says that they hired JMC Landscaping to come in and clear the trails which are now open He does not see much damage to the pines on their preserve from the Southern Pine Beetle yet

New opportunities are becoming available to potentially help in the restoration and clearing of our woods from Hurricane Ian’s devastating hit to our area The three groups noted in this article, Calusa Land Trust, Conservation 20/20 and the Conservation Foundation are keeping lines of communication open and appreciate the support from our Pine Island Strong community to preserve and protect our precious lands and waters

Robert Ballard is president of the Calusa Land Trust

Ar thur

This handsome boy is hoping to be the center of your world. Arthur was very scared when he first came to us, but time and kindness has turned him into a lap cat He enjoys following the volunteers around, but the moment a lap is available, he’s in it Arthur prefers to be petted on his head, which makes us curious

him. He’s approximately 2 years old and is hoping to be your best friend. For more information, call Helping Paws Animal Sanctuary at 239-283-9100 If you’d rather just donate, our address is 10060 Mallory Parkway, E , Unit D, St James City, FL, 33956 or there’s always our website www helpingpawsanimalsanctuary com

Fresco y Más to also be sold

Southeastern Grocers Inc , parent company of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, this week announced it has entered into definitive agreements with ALDI and Fresco Retail Group, LLC to effectuate a comprehensive strategic divestiture of its businesses Under the proposed merger agreement, ALDI will acquire all outstanding SEG capital stock in an all-cash transaction, which encompasses all SEG grocery opera-

tions under the Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket banners This includes app r o x i m a t e l y 4 0 0 s t o r e s i n A l a b a m a , Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida where 75% of the stores are located According to the announcement, following the completion of the sales process, ALDI will serve the customers and comm u n i t i e s o f W i n n - D i x i e a n d H a r v e y s Supermarkets through the continued operat i o n o f t h e b a n n e r s ’ e x i s t i n g s t o r e s Officials said the retailer will also evaluate which locations will convert to the ALDI format For those stores that are not converted, ALDI intends for them to continue to operate as Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores

Concurrently, SEG has agreed to divest its Fresco y Más operations SEG anticipates that the sale of the Fresco y Más banner will be consummated in the first quarter of 2024 The Fresco y Más banner, including all 28 stores and four pharmacies, will be sold to Fresco Retail Group, LLC, an investment group strategically focused on food and grocery Fresco Retail Group, LLC plans for all stores and pharmacies in the Fresco y M ás b a n n e r t o c o n t i n u e o p e r a t i n g a s t h e y a r e presently

The merger agreement has been approved by the holders of a majority of SEG’s outstanding shares, and the merger is expected to close in the first half of 2024, subject to regulatory a p p r o v a l s a n d c u s t o m a r y c l o s i n g c o n d i t i o n s S E G will continue to operate its r e s p e c t i v e b a n n e r s a n d stores in the normal course of business until the transactions are completed

The island Winn-Dixie store is at 9864 Stringfellow Road, St James City Locally, the Cape Coral Winn-Dixie store is at 1016 Cape Coral Parkway, E , and the North Fort Myers W i n n - D i x i e i s a t 5 6 6 0 Bayshore Road There are also several other locations across Lee County

ALDI to purchase Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets Island

Mahjongg

A small group gathered Aug 17 to play mahjongg but we had a large amount of fun! Stephanie LaHines racked up 70 points Peggy Finley eked by her with 90 points Mary Halbleib ended the day with 175 points P l a y c o n t i n u e s e v e r y Thursday from 1-4 p m As we are not able to play at the St James City Civic Center, p l e a s e e m a i l c a ro l y n 1 3 1 5 3 @ g m a i l c o m i f you would like to join the fun!

September programs set at Pine Island Public Library

Next month’s roster of activities at the Pine Island Public Library offers topics for all ages The following programs are free to the public.

Adult Programs

Download Drop-In

3:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Sept. 6, 13, 20

Receive personalized help downloading e-books, movies, music and more from Overdrive/Libby and Hoopla, two of Lee County Library System’s largest online content providers Bring your fully charged digital device for this hands-on help session Note: Please bring any passwords you may need for downloading apps Kindle users will also need an Amazon account and their password for accessing it

Book Folding Art

9:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 9

B o o k f o l d i n g i n v o l v e s f o l d i n g t h e pages of books to create a beautiful 3D design At this program, we will create a simple heart design. All supplies will be provided Registration is required

Tech Thursdays: One-on-One Help

3:30 p.m., Thursdays, Sept. 14, 28

Need help with a laptop, tablet or ereader? Are you looking to gain basic computer skills? We can help Bring your fully charged device and any passwords for a 15-minute, one-on-one technology session

Island Page Turners Book Discussion

Group: Explore the World

2 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 27

You choose the book you want to read b a s e d o n a m o n t h l y t o p i c , t h e m e o r a u t h o r W e w i l l m e e t e v e r y m o n t h , September – April, for a lively discus-

sion The Pine Island Public Library will help with book suggestions and a monthly book display

Children’s Programs

Family Storytime

10:30 a m , Thursdays, Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28

For children through age 5 and careg i v e r s F a m i l i e s w i t h y o u n g c h i l d r e n enjoy a variety of stories, songs, rhymes and movement

Get Creative: Kids and Teens Creator Space

1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16

Kids and teens can create one-of-akind masterpieces from a wide variety of art and craft supplies

Teen Programs

Download Drop-In

3:30 p m , Wednesdays, Sept 6, 13, 20

Receive personalized help downloading e-books, movies, music and more from Overdrive/Libby and Hoopla, two of Lee County Library System’s largest online content providers Bring your fully charged digital device for this hands-on help session Note: Please bring any passwords you may need for downloading apps Kindle users will also need an Amazon account and their password for accessing it

Tech Thursdays: One-on-One Help

3:30 p.m., Thursdays, Sept. 14, 28

Need help with a laptop, tablet or ereader? Are you looking to gain basic

computer skills? We can help Bring your fully charged device and any passwords for a 15-minute, one-on-one technology session.

Get Creative: Kids and Teens

Creator Space

1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16

Kids and teens can create one-of-akind masterpieces from our wide variety of art and craft supplies

T

i n Bokeelia For more information about a program or to register, please call the library at 239-533-4350 Check the Lee C o u n t y L i b r a r y S y s t e m ’ s w e b s i t e a t www.leelibrary.net to find out about programs at other locations Call the host library, or Telephone Reference at 239479-INFO (4636), for more information about a specific program

To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter h e r e : w w w l e e g o v c o m / r e s o u r c e s / n e w sletters

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services, programs or activities To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modification to participate, contact Joan LaGuardia, 239-533-2314, F l o r i d a R e l a y S e r v i c e 7 1 1 , o r j l ag u a r d i a @ l e e g o v c o m A c c o m m o d a t i o n w i l l b e p r o v i d e d a t n o c o s t t o t h e requestor Requests should be made at least five business days in advance

affected by Hurricane Ian themselves, making it difficult to do the same things in the same way they were done after Hurricane Charley, although with the help of organizations such as the Matlacha Hookers and FEMA, Stearns said, what could be done was done in record time, considering the disaster

“There are many amazing organizations on Pine Island Some focus on land conservation, like the Calusa Land Trust The Hookers focus on our youth and seniors, Bobby Holloway is there for the youth on Pine Island

Another GPIA concentration is volunteer coordination

A number of groups have come to Pine Island to help with recovery, but must have a coordinating body to lead them to those in need of help.

Construction projects are in the works with a partnership between the GPIA and Rebuild Together, a non-profit organization who started in Tampa They are doing 30 free asphalt shingle roofs on Pine Island, Barreda said, stressing that many non-profit organizations are ready to help Governor Ron DeSantis’ wife, Casey DeSantis began the Disaster Fund Money from this fund, said Barreda, c h a n n e l s t h r o u g h V o l u n t e e r F l o r i d a , w h i c h d o n a t e d $100,000 to help Pine Island

W o r k w i t h t h e n o n - p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n P a t h f i n d e r Mission has helped the GPIA to obtain temporary storage

going up all the way through law school The Beacon of Hope is everything from newborn babies to meals on wheels for some our elderly and everything in between, which is a huge gamut,” Stearns said

Raising money has not always been easy for the Beacon, she explained, as they have had to spend years outlining the exact role of the organization, which shifts often based on the needs of the islanders Based on this, it’s fitting, Stearns admits, that the Beacon board is one of the most active and involved boards she’s seen

containers, which will need to be built by a team This project was funded, in part, by the Matlacha Hookers, as well as the GPIA, as the units cost $750 each for raw materials.

“This is an ongoing project, but when I say it takes a team and it takes all the groups working together, this is just a great example of that To date, we’ve delivered over 51 of these just under $40,000 We’re always looking for more influx and more money to come in because we have a long list of people who want storage containers who need it still to house some things,” Barreda said

On Sept 22, Rebuild Together, along with Home Depot Foundation, have already planned to have several hundred volunteers with a goal to build 100 free storage containers in one day for Pine Island This will equal over $75,000 in storage containers, Barreda said. He recom-

Advanced Life Support

as well as the support of the community, without whom this achievement would not have happened

“This just exponentially increased what we can provide,” Mickuleit said.

Assistant EMS Chief Cody Allen emphasized the importance of having ALS in the ability to do the job required

“The buy-in, not only from the community and the board, but also from the crew that was one of the

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major hurdles to garner that buy-in from everybody to get to where we are now, because without that it would have been a harder, steeper, uphill climb,” Allen said

“All that’s left is the credentialing process. We have to sit in front of our medical director and we have to apply for the state license and once we get the OK from the state, we’ll be ALS Our hope is that everything goes smoothly with processing in the next 30 days,” Mickuleit said

Church of God of Prophecy Chicken Dinner Sept. 9

The Church of God of Prophecy will be having another Chicken Dinner on Saturday, Sept 9 Dinner will be takeout only, no dine in The price is $10 per dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn or green beans, dinner roll and dessert

Call your order in to 239-283-2128 as soon as pos-

sible, quantities are limited

Pick-up is from 12:30-3 p m Chicken is fried in peanut oil Gluten free and baked chicken available upon request

The church is located at 15146 Stringfellow Road, Bokeelia

“We started with Hurricane Charley Hurricane Ian has only validated that we’re probably going to be needed and be around for another 20 years, and by the grace of God we’ll never be faced with a storm of the magnitude that we have we can only hope but our goal is to move forward and hopefully in another 20 years down the road, we can look back and be just as proud of the progress and the things that we’ve done,” Stearns said

mends checking the GPIA Facebook page or the GPIALLIANCE org website for more information on this project

Barreda asked that if anyone is in a position to help via their job or with a place to stay, for volunteers who come to help the island, that they contact the GPIA

“We can use grants We can use endowments,” Barreda said, reminding everyone that some forms of help run out over time and the island is in for the long-term where recovery is concerned

John R. Wood Properties, Christies International Real Estate names top agents for July

John R Wood Properties, Christies International Real Estate has announced its top agents for the month of July

The #1 Single Agent is Terri James

The #2 Single Agent is Kristi Dunfee

The offices for the Pine Island Group are located at 5400 Pine Island Road, Bokeelia, (239-283-1028), and 2959 Oleander St , St James City (239-2830909)

Terri James Kristi Dunfee

Fishing is good despite unsettled weather

Over the past week unsettled weather often brought rain a n d t h u n d e r s t o r m s a n y t i m e throughout the day Not all days, but enough to disrupt f i s h i n g p l a n s N o t a l l b a d though, as this weather pattern i s t h e t i c k e t t o l o w e r h o t inshore water temperatures

Inshore, anglers found success targeting snook, redfish and mangrove snapper Catchand-release snook fishing is good along the gulf beaches and around structure at Blind, R e d f i s h a n d B o c a G r a n d e passes Pilchards, pinfish, pigfish and jigs or flies in a white o r c h a r t r e u s e c o l o r w o r k e d best Redfish were also caught fishing structure around the passes plus mangrove island points around Wulfert K e y s , B u c k I s l a n d a n d P a n t h e r K e y Favored baits included live and cut pinfish, c u t m u l l e t a n d q u a r t e r e d b l u e c r a b Redfish, along with black drum, were also hooked fishing from the Bokeelia Fishing Pier

Capt Bill Russell On the Water

time the last hour of a tide, fish through the slack, until the current picks up again, chances are good you will bag a limit around the gulf p a s s e s F i s h s m a l l b a i t s such as shrimp, pilchards and pinfish over hard bottom Not all areas around the passes are hard bottom, much is sand, finding the hard bottom and ledges is key

Offshore, for-hire captains are winding up federal r e d s n a p p e r s e a s o n w i t h l i m i t s o f g o o d s i z e f i s h caught west of Boca Grande Pass in depths beginning around 160 feet A mix of yellowtail, vermilion, mangrove snapper, plus scamp grouper were also boxed. American red snapper seasons, l i k e m a n y o t h e r s p e c i e s i s c o n s t a n t l y changing Make sure and keep updated, and if running past nine miles into gulf waters, know the difference between state and federal regulations

It’s that time of year we begin to see schools of large redfish across the inshore waters They could show up along an island point, pushing bait down a sand bar edge, under a dock or about anywhere Most schooling reds run over the 27-inch maximum size. Keep your eyes open, they are a blast when you come across a hungry school

Look for mangrove snapper in the usual haunts --

a r o u n d o y s t e r

b a r s , s t r u c t u r e ,

m a n g r o v e s h o r elines and the gulf passes If you can

You can stay up to date with fishing regulations by visiting www myfwc com Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone It has current regulations with pictures to help identify fish

If you have a fishing report or for charter i n f o r m a t i o n , c o n t a c t G u l f C o a s t G u i d e Service at 239-410-8576 (call or text); on the web at www fishpine island com; or via email at gcl2fish@ live com

Have a safe week and good fishin’

As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters around Pine Island and Southwest Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years

Lee Health reminds everyone to practice lightning safety

As the community turns to water-related activities to stay cool during this extremely hot summer, Lee Health would like to remind the public about lightning safety As thunderstorms increase during this time, so does lightning and the chance for lightning-related incidences

According to the National Lightning Safety Council, 34% of lightning-related fatalities are water-related, based on 293 cases from 2006 through 2022. Florida is also the lightning capital of the United States, averaging 223 lightning events per square mile last year

As we enjoy pools, beaches and other

water-related activities to stay cool with our friends and loved ones during these historically hot days, it’s important to remember how to stay lightning safe

“There are precautions you can take and plans you can put into place to make sure you’re protected,” said Lee Health’s chief medical officer Dr Iahn Gonsenhauser

“We want it to be second nature to have that awareness built into your everyday plan. It’s always our goal to keep the Southwest Florida community safe If you experience any lightning-related or lifethreatening injuries, seek out help immediately ”

Here are some things to keep in mind when making a lightning safety plan this summer: Monitor the weather

■ Know how long it will take to gather everyone and get them inside to a safe, enclosed structure

■ Seek shelter even before it starts raining Go inside when the thunder starts to roar

■ Don’t resume activities until 30 minutes after the last strike of lightning is seen and the last sound of thunder is heard

■ Use the 30-second rule: Count the seconds between seeing the lighting and

hearing the thunder Seek shelter if it’s less than 30 seconds

■ Remember lightning safety year round and stay in practice

If you find yourself caught in the open and unable to seek out shelter in time, seek lower ground if you are in an elevated area, never lie flat on the ground but instead crouch down in a ball-like position with your head tucked and hands over your ears, stay away from objects like power lines and barbed wire fences, and don’t shelter under a tree and get out of and away from ponds, lakes and other bodies of water

For more, visit www leehealth org

PHOTO PROVIDED

Captain Tony Price and his boys (Zac and Trey) got one last day of fishing before its back to school They returned to the Tarpon Lodge in Pineland with a catch of tasty mangrove snapper they caught around Captiva Pass

Repair work continues along Pine Island Road

As part of the Emergency Restoration of the Pine Island Road Causeway and Bridge, crews will be working in the project boundaries along CR 78 Pine Island Road from west of Little Pine Island Bridge (Bridge No 120111) to West of Shoreview Drive

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e F l o r i d a D e p a r t m e n t o f

Transportation, crews are working through the week, including weekends, to complete the south side wall Pile driving on the south side is complete and the contractor is working on construction of the cap

A traffic shift is expected by mid-September, moving work to the opposite side of the road so crews can begin driving sheet pilings on the north side.

Motorists can expect temporary, intermittent lane closures with flagging operations

Pedestrians and bicyclists are not permitted within the construction zone

Noise from construction equipment in the area is to be

expected.

FDOT has asked that drivers please use caution and watch for workers and construction vehicles entering and exiting the roadway Drivers are also asked to please be patient and plan for additional travel time as it may be

slower than usual in the area.

For additional information, visit the FDOT project w e b p a g e a t h t t p s : / / w w w s w f l r o a d s c o m / p r oject/451937-2 or email at PineIslandinfo@qcausa com

CROW receives $15,000 ‘Give to Tomorrow’ Grant from Clarke

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife on Sanibel has received a generous grant from Clarke through its “Give to Tomorrow” annual grant. This grant will aid in CROW’s mission of saving wildlife as well as rebuilding efforts post-storm

Clarke is a public health products and service company striving to elevate and transform the science of vector control through the lens of sustainability and innovation

“Clarke is a family-owned business that works to make communities more livable, safe and comfortable,” said V i c e P r e s i d e n t F r a n k C l a r k e . “ W e were visionaries just like CROW is, and we are proud to support organizations such as CROW that work to make a difference in their communities ”

Lee County Mosquito Control District nominated CROW to receive the “Give to Tomorrow” grant from C l a r k e T h e " G i v e t o T o m o r r o w " g r a n t i s a n annual grant program providing financial support to n o n p r o f i t s t h a t s h a r e C l a r k e ’ s c o m m i t m e n t t o environmental sustainability

The CROW hospital and rehabilitation team recently r e t u r n e d t o t h e S a n i b e l c a m p u s a f t e r w o r k i n g r e m o t e l y d u e t o d a m a g e caused by Hurricane Ian

Established in 1968, the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) is a teaching hospital saving t h e s i c k , i n j u r e d a n d orphaned native and migratory wildlife of Southwest Florida and beyond

For additional information, or to plan your visit, go to www crowclinic org

Ian funding

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F l a 3 3 9 0 1 o r p r o v i d e d during one of the public meetings

O t h e r p u b l i c m e e t i n g s scheduled:

■ 6 p m W e d n e s d a y ,

A u g 2 3 , C i t y o f F o r t M y e r s / S t a r s C o m p l e x , 2 9 8 0 E d i s o n A v e . , F o r t Myers

■ 5:30 p m Thursday, A u g 2 4 , P i n e I s l a n d Elementary School, 5360 R i d g e w o o d D r i v e , B okeelia

■ 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug 29, City of Sanibel / B i g A r t s S a n i b e l , 9 0 0 Dunlop Road, Sanibel Lee County’s Office of S t r a t e g i c R e s o u r c e s a n d G o v e r n m e n t A f f a i r s h a s p r e p a r e d a t i m e l i n e d e s c r i b i n g t h e n e c e s s a r y steps and other information a t l e e g o v c o m / r e c o v e r y / cdbg-dr This webpage will c o n t i n u e t o s e r v e a s a n informational resource for C D B G - D R a c t i v i t i e s I n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o v i s i t t h i s r e s o u r c e p e r i o d i c a l l y f o r updates